Cleveland Clinic CEO addresses changes in health care industry

is reporting a banner year financially, in spite of the changing health care market. It comes after some steep cutbacks, but the Clinic is also reporting big strides in quality, cost, and patient access.

CEO Toby Cosgrove says the Clinic is developing guidelines for treating some diseases, eliminating unnecessary testing to reduce costs. For example, the cost of treating a stroke decreased by 25 percent.

The Clinic is also discussing expansion on the main campus, including a cancer treatment center, the school of medicine, and a Holiday Inn, plus a new emergency room in Brunswick, and a new hospital in Avon. Not to mention new facilities in Florida and United Arab Emirates.

At home, they're improving patient access to medical records, even on mobile devices, and access to doctors from your tablet and computer.

"We have increased the number of patients we see on a same-day basis. We saw over a million same-day appointments this last year, and are making ourselves as accessible as we possibly can," explained Cosgrove. "We're reaching out into new ways, where we can provide care in remote locations. HealthSpot now is being increasingly rolled out into drug stores, college campuses, and pharmacies across our region, and we have a prospect of going even farther away."

The Clinic is working toward a 100 percent handwashing compliance. Currently, it's just over two-thirds.

It's also working with Microsoft to develop virtual reality glasses for medical training.